Clare Edwards and the Seven Degrassi Men
by Eclare070897
Summary: Eli Goldsworthy stumbles upon a woman in Degrassi Forest who claims she is a princess. Knowing that the forest is very dangerous at night he decides to bring her to his house. He fails to mention that he lives with six other men. A modern twist to the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Warning: Rating will change!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my lovely supporters and/or people who stumbled upon this story. This story will definitely have its racy moments so if you're not comfortable with that I suggest you don't start it. I do not own Degrassi nor do I own Snow White. The seven men in this story are not dwarfs. Instead they are handsome young men. I hope you like it. Review :) **

The raven haired man was walking through the thick trees, the worn out flashlight he was using wasn't doing a great job illuminating his way home. Eventually the light began to flicker and in complete frustration, he chucked the flashlight into a thick bush. He immediately regretted it as his eyes tried to accustom themselves to the dark that quickly devoured him. His fingers pulled at his hair as he scolded himself for not following his roommates when they decided to leave work. He thought he could get a couple hours of work in so that the work load wouldn't be as vast when he came in the next day. His best friend Adam tried to convince him that he shouldn't overwork himself because he wasn't forced to work in the first place. They had enough gold stored to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Being the most stubborn of the bunch, he didn't like taking demands, even if it was just intended to be advice. He wrapped his arms around himself when a soft breeze decided to lick his skin. He silently hoped that he could get home before night time. It wasn't rare for the temperature in Degrassi Forest to stoop down as low as two degrees Celsius when the sun went down.

Off in the distance, he noticed a speck of light. He immediately suspected that he reached his house but the most he could have walked since he left work was a half of a mile and the walk to his house was much longer than that. Then, he thought it was the flashlight but he had thrown that to the left. His curiosity got the best of him and he began to walk closer to the light. He knew that there were other houses in the forest but they were often placed not too far away from civilization. He and the others were the only ones with the guts to build a home so deep into the trees. He continued walking until he stumbled upon a bright fire. Cocooned next to the fire was a woman clothed in what he assumed was a dress. The fire's light danced around her body, displaying every cut and speck of dirt that was splashed on her skin. Her hair was a knotted mess and if he guessed himself, he would think that she had been crying due to the red tint of her eyes. He tried to have sympathy for the broken woman in front of him but all he could do was roll his eyes. He should have ignored the light. Now he had to worry about getting the woman and him into a house before night fall. No one in there right minds would try to survive a night in the forest. That was when all the creatures lurked about hunting for their next prey. He debated if he should leave the woman and go on as he never had seen her but deep down, he knew that the gentleman inside him wouldn't allow that to happen.

"Are you the prince?" the woman asked. He hadn't even noticed that she had walked up to him. He also hadn't noticed how blue her eyes were. Behind the dirt and cuts, he saw refined beauty. He tried so hard to remember why he was mad but the gentle tone in her voice could probably soothe the most disturbed of bears. That's when he remembered how savage the bears were at night and the anger was reignited.

"Are you delusional?"

He didn't exactly mean to sound so harsh but he also didn't want to get past the fact that he was practically risking his life for this ditsy woman who obviously didn't know much about survival. The woman flinched but he remained standing, uninterested in her sudden change of mood. She looked at the man in front of her and she suddenly became very offended. What gave him the right to come up to her and claim that she wasn't in her proper mind? He knew absolutely nothing about her.

"I'll have you know that I'm _**princess**_ of Degrassi and I demand you to treat me with the utmost respect _**kind**_ sir."

"Was that supposed to phase me? I'll have you know that I haven't taken demands from anybody since I was a toddler and there is no way in hell that I'm starting now."

He had trouble accepting the fact the she was a princess. If she was a princess, why would she be in the middle of the forest wearing beaten down clothes? At first, he assumed that this was part of her crowning ceremony but he knew that they only sent males of ripe age into the forest for those kind of things. It was a ridiculous custom in which a boy who was standing in line for the crown would go into the dark forest and struggle to survive for seven whole days. If he came back, the crown would be his. However, most got frost bite or were mauled by hungry bears.

He was getting very annoyed at the woman who claimed she was a princess. All he was trying to do was help but she was obviously too stubborn to realize that she needed it. He stared into her clear blue eyes. They reminded him of ice and seemed to be the only clean part of her body. Her irises were practically oozing anger and if that wasn't an indication of her emotions, her crossed arms and dark face would have been. But he could see past her facade. She was just a woman, princess or not, who was lost in the forest, secretly calling out for shelter.

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose before dropping his hands into his pockets. His friends had warned him about his temper. According to them, he got very angry, very fast. They often called him "Grumpy Goldsworthy". He didn't know why he got so angry but he settled upon the idea that he had no patience for ignorance. He had a tendency to say what was on his mind, whether his audience enjoyed it or not. It's probably why he was getting so angry at this woman right now. Who in their right minds would step into Degrassi Forest so close to nightfall? "Delusional" was the only word he could use to describe her at the moment.

"Listen _**princess**_,__I guess that I should apologize for my attitude__but I'm not going to do that because I am just as human as you are and refuse to bow down to _**anybody, **_even if they are royal. My main priority right now is to get us into a house before a giant creature comes out and eats you whole, so you can either follow me to my humble abode or try to find your way to a house."

He managed to keep his tone monotonous although his words were meant to be harsh. He had every intention to bring them to safety but he wasn't about to carry her. It was her choice if she wanted to live or die. He looked up at the sky, it was even darker than before and he knew that the creatures would start coming out soon. He could feel the temperature decrease at amazing speed. Meanwhile, the woman was standing there, contemplating whether she wanted to keep her life or not. What was her deal? He made it nice and simple for her, follow me and live or stay here and you'll die faster than you can think.

"Why should I trust you?"

He tossed his head back and groaned. He had no patience for this. She was being extremely intolerable. He considered ditching her completely and running to his house at the speed of light. But he couldn't. He wouldn't be able to deal with her death on his shoulders.

"This isn't a game of twenty one questions. Either you follow me now or you're on your own and trust me, the minute I leave you're going to regret it. I know this forest like the back of my hand. I don't think you want to let your country down princess. They might be very disappointed if you die and I'm your last chance of survival so you can stay or go but I'm leaving."

With that said, he twirled on the heals of his feet and started walking away. He didn't actually plan on leaving her but if his mother had taught him anything when he was younger it was that women hated being alone. They would rather spend hours in the worse company than have no company at all. He knew it was rash but he thought that it was the only way she would actually follow him. This woman was practically as hard headed as he was.

"Wait! Sir, wait!"

He smirks, turning around once again. The woman had taken a couple of steps towards him. She was currently twiddling with her thumbs and looking at the ground. He could almost feel her confident wall of pride breaking down in front of him and silently threw a party. That was easier than he thought. She looked up at him and he was captivated by her beauty for a second. He had never met a woman who looked so gorgeous covered in muck.

"I'll go with you."

Her voice brought him back to reality. He felt overly accomplished and couldn't push the smug feeling out of his chest. He stood up a little straighter, another smirk invading his face. Now, all he had to do was get them to his house. He tried to look for an immediate trail but it was too dark.

"Did you bring a flashlight with you?"

He asked, his annoyance coming back. Why did it have to be so dark? She looked at him and shook her head. He rolled his eyes. She really had no idea how bad this forest was. He glared at her, mumbling an "of course" under his breathe. He looked around the area she had set up for herself. She had a hut made out of branches and leaves, a small fire and one bottle of water. _**So if a beast came out of no where, she would beat him with a bottle of water. **_He thought, rolling his eyes at her stupidity. His eyes settled on the fire that initially attracted him to her site. He wondered how easy it would have been for a wild animal to spot that. He reached for her hut and pulled at a loose branch, knocking down the rest of the structure.

"Hey! It took me a long time to build that."

The woman shouted at him, anger quickly bubbling inside her once again. _**What was this guys problem? He didn't have the right to come out of nowhere and ruin all of my hard work. **_The woman thought but quickly yelled at herself for her spoiled attitude. She should be thanking him for his help. He was, after all, the one keeping her breathing. The man looked at her and rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time.

"And look at how fast I broke it. Do you know how quick a beast would have broken it? All he would have to do is ram one of his claws onto the "roof", if that's what you called it, and poof, you'd be dead," he stated, bringing the branch into the fire. The flames quickly jumped onto the thin piece of wood. He lifted the wood from the fire and walked over to the woman, amused by her confused face.

"We're going to use this to find our way to the nearest trail. Then we'll figure out how we'll get to my house after that," he explained.

"But what if we can't?" the woman's voice was rising in despair. He clenched his teeth. Did she honestly have to be so persistent? Why couldn't she just trust him? It wasn't like he was trying to drag her into the woods and kill her. Au Contra-ire. He was just trying to save her from her inevitable death.

"We'll worry about that when we get there. Until now, you're going to have to trust me."

"How am I supposed to trust a stranger? Trust is something that is earned over time."

"Well, we have no time so it's now or never."

He jumped off her little campsite. The only thing good about it was how elevated it was from the ground. Most animals were cowards and would rather miss out on a good meal than jump too high. However, bigger animals would have no trouble walking onto the elevated platform that she stumbled upon. He looked back when he didn't hear her footsteps behind him. He turned to her, only to see her still perched up on the platform. Her legs were swinging off the side of the campsite.

"Aren't you going to help me down?" _**You've got to be kidding me. **_

__"No."

The woman's face drops. Her lips form a straight line and by the look of her rotating jaw, he could tell she was biting her tongue. She jumps off the platform and rubs her hands on her raggedy dress. As she walked towards him, he could hear the small growl she tried to hide in the back of her throat. He could feel the anger radiating off of her and covering him in it's hot smoke. She stood in front of him, her arms resuming their original crossed position, and cocked her head to the side. He couldn't hide the fact that a part of him was incredibly aroused by her irritated attitude. The dress was originally meant to be snug and slightly revealing and with the long tears in them, even more of the woman's skin was shown. Maybe it was the soft curve of her body that attracted him so much. She looked soft and fragile but her eyes burned with intensity. She was obviously very independent and stubborn, much like a female version of him but with a much kinder mind.

"Are we going to start walking anytime soon or do I have to wait until you finish your sexual fantasy?"

He looked at the woman's face. She wasn't exactly angry but definitely frustrated. Based on the way she kept covering the tears in her dress with her hands, it was clear that her body meant a lot to her. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't know if he was angry at her attitude or the fact that she had caught him staring. He was always a strong headed man and he cursed himself to submitting to his male instincts so easily.

"We will walk when I decide to walk. I have a few rules to lay down first. Rule number one: You will listen to everything I say and follow everyone of my instructions. Rule number two: I don't want to hear any complaints. Rule number three: You will not annoy my roommates and I."

"Wait, were do you live anyways?"

The woman asks, as he begins to walk through the thick forest. She soon observed the way he managed to avoid all the low hanging branches. He walked fluently and quickly and she decided that he wasn't lying when he said he knew the forest so well. He was just so angry that solely standing by him increased the temperature of her blood.

"I live deeper into the forest."

He said it easily, almost as if the words that just came out his mouth weren't completely ludicrous. The thought of anyone managing to live in the forest was unheard of. She was beginning to believe that he didn't know much about the forest after all. If he knew a lot then their was no reason for him to believe that he could live in it. Even she knew how high the possibility of death was when she ran into the forest but at that point she was way too distressed to care. How did he expect them to live if he planned on going deeper into the forest than they already were?

"Are you _**insane**_? You can't possibly believe that anything you created for yourself would fend of the wild beasts that roam at night."

"Says the woman who created a hut for herself and expected to survive the entire night!"

He had stopped walking just to yell in her face. Instead of bowing back, she stood up straighter. He couldn't fathom the audacity of this woman. He could have left her to her own demise. He could have just walked away but he didn't and she decides that the proper way to repay him was to question his authority.

"That's because I didn't think life would be an option anyways!"

He didn't notice the tears that had began pouring out her eyes as soon as she turned her back on him. He also didn't notice how quickly she had pushed them away. He did, however, notice the sudden change in her posture when she turned back around. Her slouched shoulders gave her a much less confident look. In fact, if he hadn't seen how persistent she was about being dominant beforehand, he would have thought she was weak.

"Let's get out of here," she demanded and this time he allowed her to assume a certain amount of leadership.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'd like to take some time to announce that I do not own Degrassi. If I did, Eclare would already be married with 12, no 17, children. I'd also like to take some time to give thanks for all your support you beautiful beautiful (I meant to say it twice! You guys deserve it!) souls. I write for you and to know that you appreciate it is amazing. I love you guys so much. I always feel bad when I take so long to update because even though I'm a writer, I'm also a reader and I know how hard it is to patiently await a new chapter. I'd like to thank all of those who followed, favorited, and/or reviewed my story. It means a lot! I will try to upload chapters to this story every Sunday and chapters to Heartbreak Diet every Saturday. But I promise nothing. Now, on with the chapter.**

As the man glanced over at the woman, he couldn't help but notice how tired she looked. He had no clue whether it was the emotional kind of tired or the physical kind of tired. Nonetheless, she looked just about ready to collapse. However, she kept on walking, following the man's steps meticulously. She moved fluently, almost as if she knew the forest just as well as the man but very cautiously at the same time. Deep down, he knew that she didn't trust a single step she took. The man couldn't blame her, after all, he had came out of nowhere claiming that he knew what he was doing yet he was presently leading her deeper into the forest where there would be less chance of escape. The man felt like he knew her inside and out although he had only met her an hour before. She was a quiet one. A respectable young woman with a strong head on her shoulders who obviously trusted very easily. The man was still extremely aggravated, they had been walking for a while and there was not a trail in sight. It was getting exceptionally cold and he could feel a tingling sensation in his fingers telling him that they would soon be numb. His nose was even beginning to run, wet fluids running down the skin above his upper lip. Every time he rubbed his nose against his shirt, he could feel his skin getting more irritated. He was astounded that no animals had come to claim them yet. It was almost as if their was an invisible shield surrounding them. That thought alone sent goosebumps up his arms, he hated being closed in. To top it all off, hot embers were flying off of the thin piece of wood and eating away at his hand. The burn of fire and the burn of ice were virtually the same but he never expected to feel them at the same time. The fire was quickly dimming and the man could feel panic rising in his chest. He would have to find a trail soon or their chances of survival would be slim to none.

"Are we almost there?"

Although she followed quietly for most of the trip, besides the sudden gasps when a branch would break, the man was simply annoyed by her presence in general. He had to constantly look back to make sure she didn't get lost or injured and it was honestly a complete waste of time. Then, every time he looked back, she always had to glare at him in the same way a teenager would glare at their over protective parents. It seemed like she was so ditsy that she couldn't even understand when someone was looking out for her. The man had half a mind to speed up the pace and never look back but once again canceled out the idea of abandoning her.

"You see, that one question breaks all the rules that I laid out before we began this ever so **_fun _**adventure."

She was simply intolerable. If the man hadn't been deprived of many social encounters he would have assumed that she was the worse person on Earth. It was like she fed off of his anger. He has only come into continual contact with approximately half a dozen females in his entire life, one being his very own mother, and he was sure that none of them would ever act like the woman following him. He couldn't understand how a woman that beautiful could be so ungrateful. It was truly a shame.

"Oh cut the sarcasm, we both knew I was never going to listen to your stupid rules anyways."

It was the easiest thing that had slipped out of her mouth. The woman was never one to submit to anger but she felt that their was something about this man that made her tick. The way he walked around, this pompous air about him. He thought he could control anything that he stumbled upon. She almost felt like it was her job to prove him wrong.

"That's right, I totally forgot you were a spoiled brat who never had to listen to rules their entire life."

The woman was many things, she would willingly admit them. She was persistent, dramatic, childish and often annoying but she refused to accept that she was a "spoiled brat". Never in her life had she taken advantage of anything that was given to her. She was always grateful and spent hours on end thanking God for her privileged life. She always took time to give back to those in need. She was far from a "spoiled brat". She was also very tired and in no mood to continue the foolish argument.

"Just keep walking."

The man was so close to telling the woman a few things that shouldn't be repeated by anyone below the age of eighteen but he bit his tongue knowing that it would be useless. For someone with what he assumed was a very low IQ, she always had a comeback to his quick remarks. He knew that if he let it, their bickering could continue for hours and the man didn't want that. He just wanted to get under his warm, black blankets and write until he was too tired to think. Just the thought of his secret sanctuary sent a shiver down his spine, or it could be that the cold had finally reached his nervous system. The man tried bending his knees as assurance and when he was able to complete the task, he realized that he wasn't completely numb. Not yet at least. That's when he heard a soft noise behind him. It was like metal clanking together. He stopped in his tracks to better assess the sound. He had never heard it before. Unfamiliar noises were the worse to deal with. If he was familiar with the noise, he would know how to prepare himself for an attack. He carefully turned his head but all he heard was the rustling of leaves.

"Do you hear that?" he asks.

"Hear what? I don't hear anything?" the woman answers.

"You're telling me that you don't hear that clanking sound. It was-"

The man quickly shuts up when he sees her clattering teeth. Rolling his eyes, he finally noticed that she was the "wild animal" that was making all the noise. The man finally realized that all she was wearing was a torn up dress. It didn't look like the warmest piece of clothing. He reluctantly tore off his jacket and tossed it at her, silently hoping that it would hit her in the face. She was too fast though, and grabbed it before one the buttons could bruise her skin.

"Sir, I can't accept this. You'll freeze and-"

"I'm not doing it for you. For all I care, you could freeze until your legs get chopped off. Your chattering teeth were the problem. Tell me, is that how you expect to remain aloof?"

"I don't understand why you're being so mean to me. If I ever offended you, please let me apologize."

The woman sounded sincere but he was never one to hand out trust easily. She honestly hadn't done anything too extreme besides annoy him to the point of no return. He wasn't angry at anything she did in particular. He was angry at what he knew she would do eventually. It always ended the same. Everyone always ended up hurting him. He knew that cutting people off before giving them a chance made him sound like a complete coward but he was better off sticking to the people he knew would remain loyal. It was easier on him.

"Just keep on following princess."

The man managed to keep the same venomous tone he always had but this time it was more forced than usual. He could tell that she was trying to be polite. He always hated those kind of people, not because they were nice, but because they made it harder for him to be a bitch. To the man, being mean came easy, being nice was always something that was harder to achieve. His roommates and regular house guests were the only ones that knew that he had a soft side and the man wasn't about to let a woman he had just met find out that he could be sweet. No, he'd rather just keep it simple and angry. The man was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that the trees were getting smaller, he knew that he was nearing a trail and just as he guessed it, a path opened up. In fact, it was a path that he was very familiar with. Just ten yards ahead laid their destination. The man was so happy, he could almost cry. Once he was halfway down the trail, he came to an abrupt stop. Confused, the woman looked at him. She had seen the house too and she did not understand why they would stop when they were so close.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked.

"Follow exactly what I do. The minute you make a wrong step, a bomb will blow both of us up. We wouldn't want both of us to die after that long journey, now would we?" the man asked, trying to keep it nice and simple for her. She rolled her eyes at him, deciding not to get angry at his condescending tone. Instead, she nodded her head. He looked at the ground, his eyes were glazed over telling her that he was deep in concentration. She knew he was serious, when he shot her a stern look over his shoulder.

"High ho, high ho," he yelled, jumping for every "high" and crawling for every "ho". The woman mimicked his actions, deciding that she shouldn't test him. She was afraid that if she didn't land in the exact places he jumped, she would be annihilated. She felt her heart practically jump out of her chest as an acorn fell on the ground beside her.

"It's off to work we go,"the man quickly jumped back when he said the word "off". Suddenly he stopped and if the woman wasn't so anxious, she would have sworn that he started whistling a little tune.

"High ho, high ho, high ho, high ho," he repeated the actions that he did before. When the woman finished her last crawl, she got up only to realize that they had reached the front of the house. It was larger than the woman had expected. When she had first seen the man, he was covered in what she thought was mud. She had quickly guessed that he was down on his luck but as she looked up at house, she knew that she had guessed wrong. The house, at least that's what he called it, could easily provide shelter for a dozen or more people. The outside was even carefully carved to look as if it had jumped out of a fairy tale.

"Are you going to stay out here and gawk or are you actually going to follow me?"

When the woman looked at him, the slightest charm that had been sprinkled on her as she stared amazed at the house was quickly erased. He was wiping the dirt off his arms, staring down at the woman like she was deranged. She could barely tolerate the smug smirk that had climbed onto his lips. She had seen castles much larger than this and although she was amazed at the detail, it wasn't as though her mind had exploded at the sight of the man's house. He was just so irritating to her. Like a epidemic that had spread to the most holy of places. She would do anything to wipe that smirk off his face.

"God, no wonder you live alone."

"Oh, did I forget to mention. I have six other male roommates."

He had ran into the house before she could even question the absurdity of the situation. She was about to walk into a house that was owned by not only one annoying man but _**seven**_ of them. Of course, it was better than nothing but she could only imagine how filthy it was. There was probably dirty clothes on the floor and rotten food in the fridge. She questioned whether she should walk in or not but once she felt the hot air that had escaped when the man opened the door, she knew she would give in. She gave herself a minute, truly wondering whether of not she should camp outside their house and wait for the prince but she didn't know when he would get there. She also didn't want to disrespect this man. Although he was very impolite, he had managed to bring her to safety. She was sure that it couldn't be that bad, some males must have enough common sense to clean up after themselves. Deciding that there was only one way to find out, she closed her eyes and grabbed onto the handle.

She just stood there for a while, holding the handle. She took a moment to soak in the fact that she was outside a stranger's house, deciphering whether or not she should temporarily live with him. Since when was her life so serious that she would have to resort to such a rash and desperate decision? Why was _**she**_ so jealous of her prosperity? Just a couple weeks ago, her life was normal. She woke up and followed her dad through the castle, listening intently to what he had to say about running the country. She couldn't do this. She couldn't just walk into somebody's house and just expect them to take care of her. She didn't even know if they would let her live with them. What was she thinking? She should have just ran away from the man and let herself die. It would have been easier for everyone. Sullenly, the woman drops her hand from the door, desperately trying to remember the little riddle for getting across the booby traps. Deep down she knew she was way too preoccupied with other thoughts to remember anything.

That was when the door slammed open and another man walked out. At least, she thought he was a man. She assumed that he was one of the other man's roommates. He had very soft, feminine features and cat like blue eyes. He was only a few inches taller than the woman but wearing her beaten down clothes made her feel a lot smaller. The woman didn't know why she felt so insecure. She never cared about how others perceived her. She had just been through so much over the past two days that she felt like a leaf could break her down. She wasn't even sure how she made it through the man's evil comments. This man, however, had a much lighter air to him. He walked towards the woman with a bright smile on his face.

"He is such an asshole. The least he could have done is brought you in and introduced you as a human being, instead of treating you like an animal and keeping you outside. I really need to teach him how to treat ladies such as yourself. You know he's always had that problem-I'm sorry, you must be cold. Why don't we go inside so I can properly introduce you to everybody?"

She didn't know what to say. Just a second ago, she was planning a quick and hopefully quiet escape but it was interrupted before the plan was even put into action. She was stuck in a deadlock. Either she walked into the cold, dark, and extremely dangerous forest with some of her dignity still in tact or she sucked up her pride and admitted that she was in desperate need of help. It was hard to think properly when she could feel the warmth practically beckoning her to join it and the sweet man offering her a sophisticated introduction. The woman was always someone who hated germs and she could feel the layers of tough dirt trying to suffocate her skin. She really needed a shower to remain sane for the next few hours and it wasn't like she was she was going to find another clean bathroom in the middle of the forest. The idea of hot water running down down her ice cold back was nothing but euphoric.

She didn't need to reply as the man took her hand and dragged her into the house. Once she was pass the door, she felt her body undergo a fast change. The warmth hit her skin first, reminding her just how cold she really was. Her teeth started to chatter uncharacteristically quick. Almost immediately, she began to sweat. It was like she was an ice cold water bottle that was just introduced to the sun. The mud on her body was beginning to feel excessively itchy. Her body was trying really hard to adjust to the new environment but nobody can erase hours of cold with just minutes of heat. At that moment, she felt like the inside of her body was frozen and the outside of her body was cooked. It was rather unpleasant but she tried to keep a smile on her face.

There were five men lounging around, one of them being the same man who had walked with her. He had looked much more at ease than before. In fact, a giant smile was painted on his face as he talked to another man who was much more happy than he was. The other three were watching her intently. She knew how she looked. She was walking into a random house, covered in mud, with a fake smile on her face. She looked insane. Maybe she was insane.

"Where's Jake?" the kind man asked the man who had walked the woman through the forest.

"He just went to bed."

"Of course he did. I don't even know why I bother asking."

"You never said she was so hot," one man said, being as blunt as possible. He was tall and tan, slightly resembling an actor that the woman couldn't really name at the moment. His chest was bare and his body was crunched up on the couch. His blue eyes raked up and down her body like she was a manikin in a cheap department store. The woman felt very uncomfortable under his stare and once again began playing with the tears in her dress. Getting compliments on her appearance wasn't rare to the woman. Once she began to develop it was as if men of all ages wanted to wed her. The woman never liked the attention, partially because she wanted to be recognized by her mind instead of her body and partially because _**she **_never liked it when the woman was vastly recognized. The kind man that had brought her into the house didn't hesitate to hit the other man in the back of the head. The half naked man brought his hand to place of injury and rubbed it softly, mumbling curse words under his breathe. The woman knew that the kind man heard them but he was just rolling his eyes, trying to hold back a laugh. He brought his attention back to the woman, noticing the slight shake of her body but wanting to introduce her before he offered her a shower.

"Ignore Drew, he's a little..._dopey,_" the kind man said, searching for the right word. Drew looked up at the kind man with a confused look scrawled on his face. It took a while for the woman to realize that he didn't know what the kind man meant. She let out the a small giggle, relieved that she remembered how to laugh. Her giggle soon ended when she realized just how rude she was being. It wasn't nice to laugh at a man because of his intelligence. She bit her lip softly to hold back any more laughter that threatened to escape.

"You can laugh, Drew never takes anything personally," another man said. He had walked up to the woman and was smiling from ear to ear. She didn't understand how he was so _happy_. There was not even a hint of artificial sunshine in him. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her close to his fit body. At first, the woman was startled but allowed herself to melt in his bright aura. She couldn't contain the smile the spread on her face.

"Don't be startled by Zane. He's just always happy," the kind man explained as Zane unwrapped his arms from the woman. When he walked away, the woman could feel the cold return. She should have guessed that the warmth would only be temporary.

"This is Wesley, he's a little shy so don't take it offensively," the kind man said as he roughly dropped his hands on Wesley's shoulders. Wesley flinched a little before looking up from under the mop of curly hair on his head and looking back down. The woman didn't miss the red tint in his cheeks. She smiled at his bashfulness although she knew he wasn't going to see it. The woman always thought that a person could feel another person's smile from far away. She hoped that he felt her welcoming attitude towards him. The man sitting next to Wesley released an unearthly sound and hastily slapped his hand over his nose.

"Can someone pass me a tissue?" his voice was muffled by his hand but Wesley was able to understand as he reached over the table, keeping his eyes covered, and retrieved a tissue for his friend. The man snatched the tissue out of Wesley's hand and replaced his hand with it. For the next minute, he blew what seemed like his entire brain out of his nose. The woman tried to keep her facial expression straight although she was slightly disgusted.

"Are you okay?" she asks, being as nice as possible. The man that had walked her through the forest rolled his eyes and glared at her. He crossed his arms over his chest and challengingly tossed his head to the side. The smile he had when she had walked in was nonexistent as his green eyes critically burned her skin. She kept her face straight even though she was imagining how great it would feel to rip off his head.

"Connor just has allergies. Have you ever heard a person sneeze before princess or do they keep you locked up in a tower so you won't catch any ignore all the struggles of common people?"

He said princess as if it was something that the woman could control. It came to her as an insult. She was never overwhelmed by the fact that she was a princess. She never expected to be treated any differently than anyone else. She couldn't believe that the man was using it as a mechanism to hurt her. The woman took pride in knowing that one day she would be able to improve all the faults in the government but the man obviously thought that she was a princess only in the words of wealth.

"Geez Eli, stop being such a giant dick. You met her like four hours ago, nothing she could have ever done gives you the right to treat her like shit."

The woman was relieved that the kind man was sticking up for her because there was really nothing she could do in her position. If she let out a witty remark, the man, who she now knew as Eli, might take it offensively. She didn't know how close the men were and she didn't know whether they usually agree on things. She didn't know if Eli would convince them all to hate her. To sum it all up, she didn't know them and that's why she was so scared.

"That's just it Adam, we've only known her for four hours. How do we know she isn't going to murder us in our sleep?"

Eli was staring the woman up and down, his face contorting into one of disgust. The woman felt dirty under his eyes. It wasn't the kind of filth that was skin deep, she felt dirty in the pit of her stomach. It was like she didn't belong anywhere. She was tired of how people treated her. She had to fight back the urge to spit in his face. She wanted to make him feel like he was just as unwelcomed as she was. It wasn't like she planned to show up, unannounced, to a house of seven.

"Eli, this isn't one of your stories. People don't just kill other people for fun. If she was going to kill anybody than she would have killed you when you were in the forest."

"Adam! We can't trust her!"

Eli was quickly on his feet, hovering over the kind man, Adam. Adam looked very small and surprisingly calm under Eli. The woman had walked with an annoyed Eli for a couple of hours but it wasn't as scary as seeing him angry. The veins on his neck were protruding and it was like something was about to break out of him. The look in his eyes was that of a caged animal. It was like he was silently restraining a larger, much darker, side of him. His eyes were narrowed and the woman was wondering how Adam was still standing in front of him. It was like he was on fire, begging someone to attempt to survive his heat. However, Adam remained standing as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Eli, you need to calm down. I wouldn't do anything that I thought would hurt any of us. The woman is harmless and if she isn't then I will take all the blame. You are being very paranoid and very aggressive. Now, I would suggest that you cool down and take a pill because I will not tolerate any irrational arguments on your part. Are we clear?"

Adam spoke softly but sternly, getting his point across with as much clarity as he could. To the woman's shock, Eli's shoulders deflated and the veins melted back into his neck. He sighed and sat back down. She hadn't even noticed that Zane had brought him a glass of water and a small pill. When Adam said that Eli needed to take a pill, she hadn't thought that he meant it literally. Eli swallowed the pill and focused his attention on the edge of the sofa he was sitting on. The woman focused on Eli closely but his eyes remained glued to the coach.

"I'm sorry about that. You're welcomed to take a shower Miss-oh silly me! What's your name?"

"Clare...Clare Edwards."

"Well Clare, I'll lead you to a room."

Adam quickly led Clare up a series of steps and down a long, narrow hallway. The house had a very ancient look to it. It was in desperate need of a paint job and smelled like paper that had recently been taken out of a printer. The air was stale and slightly hard to breathe but Clare was grateful nonetheless. Adam passed multiple doors before settling upon one that was neon green. Come to think of it, all the doors in the hallway were painted a very strange, bright color. It was a huge contradiction to the dull walls. Clare even saw a door that was colored magenta.

"This is Zane's hallway," Adam explained, when Clare continued to look at him with a confused look on her face, he continued. "We each have our own hallway. Zane usually doesn't have any company so he has a little extra room in his for you. This means that you can have your own room."

Adam handed Clare a towel, an oversized shirt and sweat pants. He gave her a small smile and a slight nod and turned around. Before he could escape, Clare stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. She was so amazed at how civilly they were treating her. All the men she had met in her life were chauvinistic assholes.

"Thank you so much! It's so generous of you guys to give me a place to sleep. I promise that you guys won't even recognize me. I will be out of here by tomorrow morning."

"Nonsense! You can stay as long as you want. We know how hard it is when no one is there to help. We wouldn't abandon anyone who was struggling to sustain themselves."

Clare was about to correct Adam and tell him that she wasn't in an economic bind. Then she realized that she'd have to explain why she was in the middle of the forest. She didn't want to relive any of what she was sure would be traumatizing moments later on in life. Maybe this is what she needed. It would just be a quick escape. Then, she could find a real place to live. Some place that was away from the heartbreak and the tears. These men were giving her a chance to change the direction in which she was taking her life.

"Thank you."

"No problem, just do me a favor," Adam said as he dropped his arms from Clare's shoulders. "Tolerate Eli as well as you can. He's been through a lot and he doesn't need another problem. You don't understand him like I do. There's a reason why he acts like he does. Just...give him a shot to prove he isn't naturally spiteful."

Adam spoke pleadingly, he obviously had a very strong connection with Eli. It was almost as if Adam was trying to save Eli from something much larger than the both of them. Clare was curious as to whether or not she could remain calm around him. She honestly wanted to ignore him completely for the rest of her stay at the house but Adam wanted her to give him an opportunity. Clare wondered if she was strong enough for anything from this point on. She was afraid that if she let in any more darkness, she would always be angry at the world. _**Maybe that's what happened to him. **_Clare knew that life was a struggle. All she could do at the moment was nod. She would give him a try, he had to have some nice in him. The least she could do was attempt to help. The seven men were already doing so much for her.

Adam gave her another soft nod and walked away. Clare touched the cold door knob, feeling the metal burn her skin. She didn't think that any other object could be colder than her at the moment. Clare always believed that everything happened for a reason. It was a part of God's plan. As long as she remained religious, she will always come out victorious but as she stood in the hall, she wondered if that was true. She had been hit so low, how could she possibly be happy after what happened to her. She gripped on the cross on her neck hoping that it's strength would transfer some power into her. She was going to make it. She had to make it. For herself. For her father. For her kingdom. She was going to beat the odds and she will make herself believe she can too. If she thinks otherwise than there was no way she'd fix her life. She wasn't just a princess, she was a warrior and she'd win.

Clare opened the door, expecting to see a room that was just as old fashioned as the rest of the house. She was sadly mistaken. Within the living space, there were three rooms. One of the rooms was a lounging area. There was a neon green futon of the left side of her vision and a comfortable looking bean bag chair in front of her. To the right, there was a giant television set, much larger than the ones she had seen in her castle. When she stepped forward, she felt a cushioned material beneath her feet. She looked down and realized that the zebra print carpet was made out of a fuzzy material. There was a small, black table in between the TV and the futon that matched the walls. Clare's excitement grew and she suddenly had an urge to see the bedroom. The room was virtually the same with zebra print blankets and black walls with neon green polka dots. Clare was so used to every being so tidy and sophisticated in the castle that she forgot how carefree the rest of the world was. The room was fun, wild and best of all, it had an attached bathroom. Clare was stressed that she'd have to share a bathroom with seven other men so seeing that she had her own personal space was amazing. She didn't understand how the place was so clean and organized if it was ruled by men. She bit her lip at the sexist thought and remembered that not all men were the same. No. These seven men were heaven sent.

"Boo!"

Clare was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't even realized that Zane had pulled up behind her. Clare was always jumpy but lately she has been even more paranoid. Anyone who knew her story would be. When Zane's loud voice filled her ears, her body went completely numb. She could feel it pause with fear. Action slowly poured itself in her body, starting at her feet and finishing at the top of her head. The delayed reaction began. She twirled around and punched him straight in the face. His body hunched backwards and he grabbed his jaw tightly. When Clare realized it was Zane, she rushed towards him, mumbling many apologies on her way.

"Clare, calm down. It's okay. Sneaking up on a stranger probably wasn't the best idea anyways."

"I'm so sorry Zane. Are you okay?"

"I live with six other men...a little punch isn't going to hurt me."

"I really am sorry. I didn't know it was you. I was just walking around. I didn't expect anyone to sneak up on me and-"

"Clare, stop rambling. I'm fine. How do you like your room?"

"It's...it's beautiful, for lack of better words. Who designs your rooms? I didn't know any companies would venture this deep into the forest to create a few rooms."

"Well actually," Zane began to speak, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. This was the first time since she came into the house that he was shy. "I designed it myself."

"Wow. Really?"

"Yeah. It's kind of a passion of mine."

"So did you design the entire house?"

"No, just my hallway and a few rooms on the main floor. The guys won't let me into their man caves."

"Well, you've done a spectacular job if I may say so myself. Do you do it professionally?"

"I used to but I decided to stop and live far away from civilization."

"Why did you do that? You could have been successful."

"Life wasn't that good back then. I'm happy now. Especially since I just found someone that actually appreciates my work. Those men can't see creativity if it hit them in the face."

Silence filled the room as Clare searched her mind for some sort of response. She didn't know what to say. She knew that this entire experience would be weird but she hoped that it wouldn't happen so soon. As she nervously searched the room for a conversation topic, Zane stared at her with the same large smile he had on his face the minute that she walked in.

"Clare, I know that all of this is new and strange but we're not going to eat you. Sure, we have our fights and messes but doesn't every family. There is nothing to be afraid of."

Zane spoke kindly about his roommates and Clare found herself repeating the words that seemed to be piling onto her tongue.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Now, hop into the shower and get cleaned up. I have snacks and chick flicks, we can go all out and do a sleep over. The guys always refuse to watch what movies that don't have blood and guts in them and while I love scary movies from time to time it's good to have a few romantic comedies under your belt for those nights that you just need to cry. It's nice to have a girl around that appreciates the sweeter side of life. We are going to have so much fun!"

It was at that moment that Clare knew she had a new friend. She made a small score board in her mind. One down, six to go.

**I know it's a little choppy but I just got out of ear surgery so don't get too mad. This chapter was just to introduce the characters. You will definitely meet the **_**"**__**she**__**" **_**that Clare was talking about.**_** This**_** story was meant to expand my horizons so I hope it isn't too awkwardly constructed. I'm starting to get tired of editing my own work. I always end up overlooking something. If any of you would like to get previews of this story while helping me edit in return, feel free to PM me. Please review! :)**


	3. Burnt Bacon and Revalations

Clare woke up due to a slight rumbling beneath her body. It wasn't rare for Clare to be woken up unpleasantly and uncomfortably. In fact, _**she **_made it her job to make every moment of Clare's life miserable. Clare could never fathom exactly why she deserved the unfair treatment she received. It kept her awake at night and dazed during the day. Her life was a restless mess of pain and anxiety. Her memories of better times were blurry. The moment her mother passed away, that was her number one fear. She was afraid that as years went by, the beautiful woman in her mind would turn into blurred lines and forgotten breathes. As more hidden scars and broken dreams worked their way into her life, she found it very troubling to call upon the words of strength that her mother had bestowed upon her. She couldn't remember if her mother preferred coffee or tea. She didn't recall her favorite color or the scent of her perfume. Everything about her had gotten lost in the rustling of colored leaves and was buried beneath the growth and death of the flowers of the Earth. Clare was sure that even if she had the memory of an elephant, she wouldn't be able to remember how it felt to be completely happy. The thought made Clare's eyes water slightly but she quickly and quietly pushed her negative emotions to the side. The rumbling beneath her wasn't disturbing or filled with hatred. The rumbling beneath her was welcoming and peaceful. She didn't have to cry anymore because all the bad is gone. She ran away from it. She doesn't have to remember anything. She could make her own happiness.

"How long have you've been awake?" the groggy voice replaced the rumbling and Clare had no choice but to drag herself out of the semi-peaceful moment and sit up. She supported her body with her arm because although she had woken up some time ago, her body still felt a little bit heavy.

"Not so long ago."

"Oh good. You did the impossible last night and fell asleep during The Notebook. Then you totally flung your heavy, unconscious body on top of me so there was no escape. Was this a sick plan so that you could wake up to my very attractive face?" Zane jokingly asks. Even when he just woke up after sleeping under Clare's heavy body, he still had a smile on his face. It was hard for Clare to remember anything bad when he was around.

"Yeah, because I so desperately wanted to be woken up by your animal-like snoring."

"Ah, sarcasm. The perfect way to start the day."

"Oh shut up," Clare playfully scorns, pushing Zane so he would fall off the couch. He dramatically rolls on the ground and jumps on the heels of his feet.

"Abuse!"

"Self defense!"

"What have I ever done to you besides fill you with laughter and a ton of cookie dough ice cream?"

"You practically tore my ear drums with the noises your body makes at night. I think that's grounds for pushing you off a coach," Clare says, crossing her arms over her chest. Zane gasps and at first, Clare thought she had done something wrong, until he broke out into another smile.

"It's a futon!" Zane corrects. Clare rolls her eyes playfully.

"You say _toe-may-toe_...I say _toe-mah-toe._"

"Why would you ever pronounce it like that?" Zane exclaims, throwing his hands in the air as they continue their playful banter.

"It's a figure of speech."

Clare feels so strangely warm. Her cheeks were tingling because she has never smiled so much. Of course, there was some hope in her life. It dangled like thread that couldn't possibly support her weight but there were moments when she would be graced with the opportunity to touch that thread and pray that maybe an ounce of it's power would flow through her skin and swim in her blood. But that thread was too thin to be seen through all the darkness and as soon as she saw, she lost it. Now, she could feel all the little threads of hope in her body weave into each other, making something much larger and stronger than anything she had ever felt before. If she had known that this was how it would have felt to run away from her problems, she would have done it a long time ago.

Zane was staring at her intensely. It was like he was thinking of something far beyond what he could see and hear. Clare wanted to pick at his mind. He was such a complex character but instead of being too overwhelming, he was light. He was like the wind. People could feel the wind around them. It was tender and sweet but it held secrets. Its been all around the world and has seen things that nobody ever sees. The wind was wise and careful yet fun and carefree. Clare wanted to know all that Zane knew. She wanted to know how he could remain so happy all the time. Surely he's been through moments in his life were he didn't feel significant enough to live. Everyone has moments like that. Clare wanted to know how Zane transitioned so well.

"Clare, has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Zane tilted his head to the side but continued to look at her. It was like he was transfixed. Clare looked down, tossing a loose curl behind her ear with her hand. She bit down on her lip and felt her cheeks warm up. She knew that Zane wasn't trying to make a move on her. He was simply complimenting her but she felt the need to nervously tug at the bottom of the giant cotton shirt she was wearing. She never really knew what to say when people flattered her.

"Well I've gotten sexy and hot but beautiful is really rare. Thank you," Clare sincerely responded. Guys weren't the most elusive around her. Most of them got straight to the sexual aspect of the relationship. Men who didn't even know her would grip onto her butt or pull at her shirt, it was part of the reason she tried to stay locked up in her room. The world was supposed to be an escape from _**her **_but whenever she went out, she would come back home in an even worse mood than she left with. She was treated as an object. It was like people forgot she was a competent, living, breathing woman. She wore her beauty like a mask that was hot glued to her face. Maybe if the gods hadn't painted her face with the softness of the clouds and the petals of a red rose, someone would actually try to hold a conversation with her. Nonetheless, she flashed Zane a soft smile. He wasn't like the dirty men who touched her. Those men made her feel disgusting. It was like every time they came into contact with a part of her body, a little bit of their internal filth rubbed off on her. She has layers of the stories of desperate men on her body and when ever someone compliments her, she remembers that the layers are still there and will always remain there.

These men were different...she knew it. Drew had made a comment but it was clear that he didn't know what was proper and improper to say. Besides that, no one in the house tried to grab her inappropriately or degrade her. In fact, Mister Grumpy, as she decided she would acknowledge him as in her thoughts, treated her worse than a pile of manure. Although she was mad at the way that he treated her, she was grateful that she could finally make a person like her for what was in her mind rather than in her clothes. It was clear to everyone in the house that Eli wasn't going to admire or respect her without being given a reason to. For some reason, she liked that. It was like a secret challenge between her and Eli. She would get him to be nice to her eventually. Whatever it takes.

"Zane, I don't think you guys understand how grateful I am that you are allowing me to stay in your home. I want to make it up to you and the others. Do you have any ideas?"

"I really don't know but the boys don't care about remuneration."

Clare had a simple, over used, cliched motto that she always stuck to in life: You scratch my back, I scratch your's. The men did something nice for her so she was determined to do something nice for them. However, she had trouble thinking about anything that she could do for the men. She didn't know anything about them so there was no way she could think of anything sentimental. She would have to think of something they needed but they seemed to have their lives so well put together. The house was clean. They got along well. It was like they were all missing something that another person in the house had. As cheesy as it seemed, Clare could only describe them as a puzzle. Clare sighed, she shouldn't have expected that there was something she could do to improve the house. She wasn't a part of the puzzle and they were doing just fine without her. As if on cue, Zane's stomach let out a monstrous growl. Clare felt the corners of her lips twitch upward as she remembered something her mother told her. _The way to a man's heart is through his stomach._

"Zane, do you guys happen to have a kitchen?"

"Of course, but we barely use it between work and renovations. Are you hungry? I would make you something but I don't know how to cook. Actually, no one in this house does. We usually eat out of boxes and cartons."

"That is not a problem at all, my love," Clare says. A bright smile invading her face. Clare never liked it when she had nothing to do. Time was very valuable and she didn't like when it was wasted. When she was doing nothing, she felt like her life was just passing by. Since she didn't like her house and she didn't like when the men in the kingdom that she lived in would sexually harassed her, she usually tried to fill her time in an abandoned church reading Palahnuik or Wilde. She's been through her share of books. She's read more than anyone else she's ever known but no man has every gotten to know her well enough to know that. Some days, she wishes that if she were to ever fall in love with a guy, it would be a guy who shared her same love for literature. But she knew that that would never happen. No one will ever be able to look past her face.

As Clare and Zane were walking to the kitchen, she felt as she was becoming a little bit more familiar with the house. She desperately tried to engrave it in her mind. It would be extremely embarrassing if she got lost. Clare takes note of little details. She knew that they would help guide her. _Go down the hallway, pass the portrait of the roses. Stop at the first door to the left. Walk down the first set of stairs. Continue down another hallway until you reach the window with the crack in the upper right panel. Walk through the door on the right. Walk through the living room. Just beyond the arch in the wall lays the kitchen._ Clare repeats the directions in her mind._ Rose portrait. First door to the left. Stairs. Window. Door on the right. Living room. Arch. Kitchen. _

_ "_Clare don't worry about it, if you get lost, we'll help you."

Clare turns to Zane, the voice repeating words in her mind coming to a halt. How was it that Zane already knew her so well? Clare stared at him for a while, her mouth slightly agape. It was like he could read her mind. Zane chuckled softly as he looked down at Clare. She was like a child. She didn't even notice how her face was twisting in utter concentration. Zane wasn't reading her mind, he was just being observant. It wasn't that hard to realize that she was confused when resembled a deer caught in head lights.

"I'm not going to get lost," Clare stated determinedly.

She planted her feet on the ground and looked at Zane with large blue eyes. Zane smiles at her independence. For a very short, very scrawny girl, she was very independent. Zane silently decided that if he wasn't totally into men, Clare would be the kind of girl he would fall in love with. He shook his head and dropped his arm onto her shoulders, dragging her into the kitchen. When Clare stepped through the arch she held the urge to gasp. Her eyes darted excitedly around the room. Everything was so modern and chic. She was completely amazed at how well decorated their house was.

"How can you guys afford all this beauty?" Clare mumbled, fully aware that the sentence was worded very strangely but she didn't know how else to put it. As she ran her hands over the stainless steel appliances, she could help but enjoy how cold it felt against her warm skin. Zane was smiling his usual smile. This was one of the rooms he had decorated and he was glad that she liked it as much as he had. It was a shame that it was barely used.

"The guys and I work a lot. We are very well off. It wasn't that expensive though. I'm a bargain shopper. But anyways...what exactly are we doing here?"

"I was just going to make a little breakfast."

"A _**little**_ breakfast for seven grown _**men**_...sounds like a contradiction to me. You know you don't have to do this?"

"I want to," Clare says, her face hidden behind the door of the fridge. She quickly noticed the boxes of frozen pizzas and processed vegetables. Zane wasn't exaggerating when he said they ate out of boxes and cartons. Clare desperately searched for anything she could make a healthy breakfast with but the task was much more arduous than it should have been.

"How do you look like _**that**_..." Clare says, gesturing to his tone stomach, "when you eat all this." Clare says, pulling out a large bag of fries that was wedged between a bucket of ice cream and a box of hot pockets. Zane smiles at her, his eyes were squinting due to the force of his cheeks.

"Our job has a lot of physical strain."

"What are you guys? Linebackers?"

"Yeah because Eli is the first person whowould join a football team," Zane jokes, rolling his eyes at the thought. Clare giggles at the idea of Mister Grumpy on a football team. _**He would have so much team spirit. **_She sarcastically thinks. She scorns herself once again and pulls her head back into the fridge. She pushes a container of cake to the side and by some sort of miracle finds some eggs. She pulls them out and puts them on the counter. She reluctantly pulls out some bacon considering she didn't have many options and knowing that it would be better than a giant slice of chocolate cake. She had more luck in the cabinets were she managed to find an untouched box of instant pancake mix.

"Okay so tell me about the guys," Clare says, mixing milk and pancake mix in a bowl that Zane managed to find for her.

"Well...hmm...um..." Zane tries to think of something to say. "I don't know."

"Wow Zane, you are so helpful."

"I don't know what you want to know," Zane defensively tosses his hands in the air and begins to spin in one of the rotating chairs that lie in the kitchen.

"Okay, how about a game of 21 question?"

"Why not?" Zane shrugs.

"Okay, you start."

"Favorite color?"

"Green. You?"

"Red. Favorite actress?"

"Um...it's between Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock. Cats or dogs?"

"Dogs...I'm allergic to cats. Reason your last relationship didn't work out?"

"Um...to be honest...I've never had a boyfriend," Clare answers, awkwardly looking at the bacon she recently popped into the oven. Zane tosses his head back and lets out a boisterous laugh.

"Yeah and I hate zebra print."

"I'm serious," Clare says, staring at Zane with a straight face. His smile drops and the laughing stops.

"I'm sorry...it's just...I thought since you are so pretty-"

"That's exactly why. No guy has actually valued me."

"Ugh...you are preaching to the choir."

"What? No girl has ever appreciated you?" Clare asks. Zane didn't know whether to be offended or not. He was into guys but of course girls had been into him. It was like Clare was picking at idea of his homosexuality. He looked at her, contemplating whether he should get angry. Then, he realized the utter curiosity in her eyes. She was being serious.

"Clare-" Zane debated whether or not he should tell her and risk there relationship. "I'm gay."

Zane bit his lip as Clare's eyes widened. She immediately felt remorseful for her actions. She shouldn't have assumed that he was into girls just because he was attractive. Then again, she never really had a gay-dar and it wasn't like she was just going to assume that he liked men. She shouldn't have to feel sorry for her mistake but she did.

"Zane, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay Clare. It's a common mistake. I just thought you would have guessed when I said that Ryan Gosling had a nice butt," Zane pokes at Clare's blatant ignorance. Clare smacks her head like the people in the V8 commercials. She should have seen all the signs. His constant comments about how beautiful the actors were. His obsession with animal print. His ever present smile. No guy was ever that nice to Clare. Of course Zane was gay.

"I'm so stupid sometimes," Clare says, dropping the hand from her head. She looks at Zane and notices the way his upper teeth were digging into the soft skin beneath his lip. He was nervously shaking his foot up and down. For once, the smile was completely erased from his face.

"Zane, what's wrong?" Clare asks, honestly worried. Zane studies the tiles for a while, avoiding Clare's eyes, then finally looks up. Zane's eyes were filled with many conflicting emotions but the one that was most present was fear.

"Clare...I understand that some people don't agree with my lifestyle. It's obvious that your religious by the cross on your neck. I don't want to make you uncomfortable at all. I always make sure that everyone's happy because when everyone else is happy...I can't help but be happy too. I guess what I'm trying to say is-"

"Zane, spit it out," Clare says, trying to remain as calm as possible. Zane looked very uncomfortable and unhappy. Clare didn't like it one bit.

"If you don't want to be around me, I'll make myself scarce but please try to be civil and keep any judgmental comments to yourself. I don't think I'd be able to take them anymore," Zane spits out, sounding completely defeated. Clare felt a crack scratch it's way up her heart. She wrapped her arms around him quickly, sensing how close he was to tears. Clare made sure that the knife she was holding was far away from his shirt.

"Zane, I liked you before so there's no reason for me to not like you after. You are still one of the sweetest, funniest person I've met." Clare held Zane tighter to her body. Zane locked both of his hands behind her back and squeezed her. He hoped that her beauty would mask the deep scars that society seems to think he has. Homosexuality is like a disease to them. His self esteem has been dragged the mud and over rough rocks. Clare senses the desperation in his grip and ignores the pain he is inflicting on her waste. The crack in her heart shatters into a million pieces when she feels Zane's warm tears on her back. Clare feels her fists clench behind Zane. She wanted to hurt the people that took such a naturally bright soul and caused it to crumble underneath their feet. It was sick and inhumane.

"Clare, they think-they think I'm a monster but I'm not," Zane cries and Clare bites her tongue to make sure she didn't cry too. Clare holds him tightly and starts rubbing his back soothingly. She hums a little nursery song that her mother used to hum to her when she had a nightmare. Zane's body continues to shake under her fingertips.

"I'm not a monster," he mumbles over and over again. He's crying so hard that Clare doesn't here someone come into the kitchen but she feels them drag her off of Zane. Suddenly her back came into contact to the fridge with a sickening thud. The knife accidentally falls to the floor. His green eyes were bursting in flames, enveloping her in their heat. His nose was an inch away from hers and she could see remnants of his sleep within his eyes. His fingers close tightly around her arms and she had to bite her tongue to silence the screams that threatened to jump out of her throat.

"What did you to to him?" Eli screams and Clare swears that the entire house shook at the level of volume in his voice. Clare whimpers softly. She was close to answering but the grip on her arms tightens and the long lanky fingers around her arms grow feminine nails. The face she sees is no longer Eli's. It's _**her's. **_Her artificial teeth are ground together. Her jaw is clenched and Clare was almost predicting the inevitable smack against her cheek. But the smack never came and the grip on her hands was pushed away with surprising force. She slid to the floor, her hands literally shaking with fear. She never heard anyone enter the kitchen, let alone the entire house.

"Everyone! Meeting now!" Adam angrily screams, dragging Eli's body into the living room with surprising authority. Clare assumed that that included her so she shakily brought herself to her legs and walked into the living room. She let out a soft sigh and sat down on one of the couches, trying to process what just happened but still look like she's not slowly going insane. However, everyone around her noticed the blank stare.

"Who would like to begin?" Adam stares, shooting daggers at Clare. She wasn't looking up but she could feel the sharp knives being thrown at her. She did something wrong. It seemed like she always did. Clare bit her tongue. She wanted to cry but she didn't...she wouldn't. Crying was behind her. This was supposed to be her happy get away. The room was completely quiet besides the ragged sound of Zane regaining his breathe.

"No one...okay. I'll start with what I saw. I was brutally awoken from my peaceful sleep by the sound of crashing and crying. I come downstairs to see Zane, one of my best friends, crying like a baby who was ripped from its mother. Then I see Eli pinning a woman against the wall. I know that Eli's judgment can be skewed but I'm _**positive**_ that he would never lay a finger on a woman unless it was absolutely necessary. Therefore, I'm looking for an explanation before I do something rash, like dump said woman in the forest and let her die at the hands of a beast." Everyone knew that Adam was talking to Clare but she bit her tongue, afraid that the words would just get her into more trouble. She briefly wondered if she deserved to be thrown out like the trash. She had, in fact, made Zane cry by bringing up the topic.

"She didn't do anything wrong," Zane defensively stated. Eli and Adam turned to him with wide eyes. Zane continued to tell the story and scold the boys for jumping to conclusions. Clare kept her head down for the entire speech and felt Adam's eyes soften. Eli, however, remained skeptical.

"She had a knife behind your back. How do you explain that?" Eli persisted. As if on cue, a fire alarm began to ring through the house. Clare silently got up and walked to the kitchen. She wasn't trying to prove herself innocence, she just didn't want their house to burn down. Everyone got up and followed her. She opened up the oven and a smoke, thicker than the tension in the air, filled the kitchen. She pulled out the pans of burnt, inedible bacon and sighed.

"I was making you guys breakfast," she finally spoke, explaining the knife in her hand. Adam stared at her remorsefully. She looks to the burnt bacon and wished that she could find a place where she would be free of _**her **_grasp.

"I'm so sorry," Adam says, staring at Eli expectantly. Eli says nothing but glares at the bruises on Clare's arms. He was taught to never hurt a woman and now he was hitting himself for being so pessimistic and assuming the worse of Clare. Now he had to apologize to something with royal blood, something he swore he would never do such a long time ago.

"I'm sorry," he stated coldly. Clare just stood with her hands covering her tender flesh. She hadn't erased the image of the woman in her mind.

"Clare, are you okay?" Zane asks, his voice laced with worry. Clare doesn't answer. The bruises forming on her arms didn't hurt that much. It wasn't like she was mad at them. It was an honest mistake. But she wasn't okay. She thought she had ran away from _**her **_and now it was clear that she would never be able to.

"I'm fine."

**Sorry for taking so long. School is no joke. I had writers block so I'm sorry if it sucks. I will update Heartbreak Diet whenever I can. Thanks for the support. I love reviews...don't fear leaving them :)**


	4. She Won't Back Down

Clare looks towards Zane, his eyes resembled a martini glass with their red rims but the crying stopped a long time ago. Everyone stood in the kitchen, awkwardly twiddling with different parts of their bodies. Clare had calmed down and was now staring at the counter top. She could feel Eli's eyes on her body and she wanted to move but she didn't want to be the first one to leave the kitchen. Suddenly Clare hears the rumbling of Zane's laugh. Her head shoots up and she notices the huge smile that has returned to Zane's face.

"I can't believe you thought she was going to kill me. What is she...like 5 foot 1?" Zane says between laughter. Clare wants to laugh but bites her lip, not knowing if it was appropriate yet. She looks around and notices the same conflicting looks on everyone elses' face. She releases the death grip she has on her lip and lets out a little giggle. She smiles at Zane and the warmth returns.

"It's actually 5 foot 2 and I can be pretty lethal," Clare jokes, licking her lips and trying to remain serious but she had honestly just realized how absurd the accusations were. Zane was huge...not big..._**huge. **_If Clare was trying to kill him, he could lift her up and throw her out a window. Clare lets out another giggle and suddenly the room erupts into laughter. _**So this was how it was to live with a bunch of guys. **_Clare thought. _**Well, it's a lot less dramatic.**_ Then she felt Eli's eyes on her. _**And here comes the drama. **_Clare looked up at Eli and notices that he's the only one not laughing. Clare knew it was because he was feeling very remorseful. He was internally beating himself up about the entire situation.

"Lighten up Grumpy. I'm a murderer, there's no way a little shove against a wall is going to hurt me," Clare was trying to make him feel better but it seemed like her joke only made him angrier. Everyone let out another round of later and the fire reignited in his eyes. His jaw clenched as he sputtered out the next words.

"We're late for work."

"Calm down Goldsworthy, I want to meet the new lady with the guts to talk to you like that," an unrecognizable man said, his deep voice quickly attracting Clare's attention. She turns her head and there he was, the light making him look angelic. He smirks down at Clare, his body hovering over hers. He runs a hand through his hair once he was close enough to realize how beautiful Clare was.

"You guys could have told me how beautiful she was, I would've woken myself up earlier," Jake says to no one in general as he continued to stare at Clare. She blushes slightly and begins to play with her thumbs. She wasn't attracted to him but any girl would blush when a handsome man payed them a compliment.

"Yeah, 'cause waking you up has always been the easiest task," Connor mumbles under his breathe, followed by a sniffle. Jake shot him glare, finally ripping his eyes away from Clare. Adam claps his hands together earning everyone's attention.

"Sorry to interrupt your pathetic attempt at flirting Jake but Eli's right. We have a long day ahead of us and we have to go to work. Grab a pancake and head out," Adam authoritatively stated, rubbing his clasped hands together like a boss. Eli smirks victoriously, circulating his head and shrugging his shoulders like he just finished lifting something heavy. Clare internally scoffed. What was it with men and their insensate need to be right? Clare rolled her eyes and decided to let his ego slide right out her thoughts. She bit her tongue, something she seemed to do a lot when he was around. She wanted to be angry but she new she didn't want to leave the serenity she had found just a few minutes ago. It would be no use to rile herself up twice in one day. She decided to pull her chin up, poke her chest out and not let it phase her. As soon as she lifted her head she noticed all the guys filing out with half eaten pancakes in their hands. Crumbs were falling of the breakfast treats and onto the floor and Clare's OCD kicked in but she let it go. They were almost out the door when Zane stopped mid way and looked back at Clare with a smile on his face. When he saw her, his smile slowly faded.

"Wait guys," he exclaimed. The guys all filed back in. Eli dramatically stomped his feet and walked in prepared with a particularly scary growl. He glared at Zane but Zane just offered him a sweet smile in return. Adam looked a bit impatient but listened nonetheless. Clare just stood with a confused look on her face.

"We can't just leave Clare alone," Zane says. Most of the boys were nodding in agreement, Eli wasn't one of them.

"Of course we can! Didn't you hear Adam? We have a lot of work to do. Now let's go," Eli says, practically half way to where ever it was they worked. Adam grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back, earning a low growl and snickers from the rest of the men.

"Now Eli, I know you know how to act like a proper gentlemen. You are the person with the most authority in this house...now act like it and show some sensibility," Adam snarls. Clare questioned this statement. Adam seemed like the person who everyone followed. Clare had even heard them call him "Doc" from time to time. But for some reason, no one in the house disagreed. Eli even stood a bit straighter.

"Who would be willing to stay with Clare for the day?" Adam asks the group.

"I would love to stay with Clare-Bear," Zane says, draping his arm over Clare's shoulders. Clare cringes at the name (_**she**_ used to call her that) but smiled politely anyways. Spending the day with Zane would be spectacular for her.

"Actually Zane, we are going to be carrying a lot of heavy things today so you are going to have to come. That also cancels out Drew, Jake and Connor," Adam says. Drew lets out a lazy sigh and stares longingly at the sofa. Clare frowns sadly. It wasn't that she didn't like the other boys but she had a connection with Zane and it would be a lot more comfortable if she stayed with him

"I guess I can stay," Wesley shyly stated, quickly looking at Clare, then blushing and looking down. Clare offers him a sweet smile, hoping that that would create some sort of comfort. Adam shook his head.

"No, you have to help me set up the wiring to created that new opening in section B. We won't get anywhere without you." Adam says, looking around the room, "So that leaves..."

His eyes fall upon Eli who is trying to hide behind the collar of his coat. There eyes connect and Eli knows that he was caught.

"It's not happening. She can handle herself," Eli snarls, glaring at Clare. Clare glares back, no longer fearing his intentions. _**There's no way he could murder me without being caught. **_Adam showcases a pensive look before smirking sinisterly.

"That's fine. She'll just be alone. In our house. Given the ability to snoop through certain peoples' rooms. Maybe read a little bit of someone's writing..." Adam didn't have to continue. Eli's eyes were already about to pop out his sockets from the idea of someone else reading his tear stained work.

"You write?" Clare asks, quickly noticing one of the things they had in common. Eli shot her another evil glare.

"That's none of your business! Can't Zane just stay. You don't need that many people," Eli pleads but Adam had already began walking out the house, leaving an angry Eli and a very very worried Clare.

Suddenly the house was empty but Clare never felt the need to find more air. Eli eyes were filling the house with a smoke of tension. Clare awkwardly stood by the island in the kitchen waiting for something to happen. She just needed something to activate her thoughts so she could go to her room. It was just so hard to think with Eli's eyes on her.

"If you keep making that face, it'll get stuck like that," Clare finally says.

"I can do whatever I want, Princess," Eli shrugs, the menacing look never leaving.

"Like shove innocent woman against a wall," Clare bites, obviously picking at a fresh wound.

"I can kill you, you know."

"As can I, my friend."

"We are far from friends."

"And you are far from sane."

Clare expected another fit of anger but instead, Eli smiled and stepped away. His lips curled up in the most devious way and Clare was slightly frightened but instead of freaking out, she smiled back. Deep down she was scared but her mind was convincing her that a smile was a good thing. A smile from a grumpy man seemed close to impossible but she hoped that it was true. Maybe he liked that she could hold her ground.

"I've never met a girl like you," Eli smiled and Clare's heart warmed up a little. He was lightening up to her. "A piece of trash who does absolutely nothing and feeds off of others' fortunes. Then decides it's alright to talk down to those who help because everything was handed to her. Your an absolutely infuriating woman who's ego is too big to fit into any house of mine. No...but I don't have a say in who stays or gos. I have to deal with you because my idiot house mates think your sweet. So you'll stay, but mark my words, everyday you are in this house will be the worse day of your life."

Tears welled up in Clare's eyes. He hated her. Absolutely despised her. She could feel the cold from the words clinging to her body. She wiped at the tears at the corner of her eyes and looked him in the eye as hard as she could. She knew she could handle his threats. What more could he do to her?

"And you are just a self absorbed man who thinks it is right to mistreat others because he's had a rough life. Well let me tell you kind sir, you have absolutely no right. Everyone has gone through something at some point in their life so stop acting like your life is a tragedy. You have six brother like figures who love you and put up with your bullshit. There are people out there who have nobody. Keep on threatening me. You can't say anything to me that hasn't been said before." Clare breaks eyes contact and walks towards the exit before he can say anything. She is about to leave before she turns around one last time.

"Have a nice day asshole."

And with that, Clare walked out of the kitchen.

**I'm so sorry it sucks and that I took so long but I have had soooo much work. I hope you guys can forgive me and review. **


	5. Unanswered Questions

**Miss me? I'm sure you did. Now I could name one of the many excuses as to why I haven't updated in a year but I'll just say that this was a hiatus of sorts. If I were you, I'd totally boycott my story and refuse to read it until I get promised weekly updates. The good news is that you AREN'T me and are probably more lenient (hopefully). Review? Maybe? Plllleeeaasssseeee!**

Clare ran to the room that she was given, finding that she remembers everything better when her emotions were compromised. Her labored breathing and shaking legs were an indication of just how big the house was. She leaned against the door, her head scratching against it. She wondered just how long she had to stay in this room before Zane came home. She hated feeling...

"Trapped," a smooth voice said. Clare jumped at least two feet when she saw figure leaning against the doorway to her room. She never once looked at Clare, but was instead enthralled by her phone. Still, Clare could see just how beautiful she was. Her lips were an artificial red and her clothes were so bright that they could illuminate an entire hallway but she still had an authentic beauty to her. Clare was sure that she would still be beautiful in rags and mud.

"D-did you just read my mind?" Clare fearfully asked, taking one step back. She figured she would just run out if any threat was posed. The woman continued to flip through things on her phone as she let out a dragged out sigh.

"No, you were talking to yourself. Do you do that a lot? You should see someone about that," the woman mumbled, smiling at something she saw on the screen. Clare wasn't sure if it was her holier-than-thou attitude or her poke at Clare's mental stability but she grew rather annoyed by this woman.

"Why are you in my room?" Clare asked, letting her pent up frustration for Eli seep into her words. The woman finally looked up, seeming disinterested as she placed her phone in the giant purse she was carrying. The woman looked Clare up and down, raking her body for each and every imperfection.

"Well you definitely don't need lipstick. Are your lips naturally that red?" the woman asked, arching one of her eyebrows. Clare refused to answer and took another step back. The woman let out a frustrated sigh.

"Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you; Adam sent me. My name's Fiona," the woman said, placing a dainty lace covered hand out in a sophisticated manner. Clare looked at her hand than back at her face.

"Well, go on," Fiona urged, moving her hand closer towards Clare's. Clare hesitantly walked forward and shook her hand. Fiona removed her hand swiftly.

"Now, was that so hard?" Fiona asked Clare as if she was a child. Clare shook her head, suddenly mesmerized by the way Fiona held herself. Her shoulders did not slouch and her head was always held high, aside from the time she was looking into her phone.

Fiona began to hum a little tone as she circled around Clare's body, pinching and poking at certain parts. Fiona created a full circle before looking at Clare once again. She cocked her head to the side and bit her lip.

"Blue, definitely something blue. What do you think? Blue?" she asked.

"What exactly are you talking about?" Clare asked, running a shaky hand through her knotted hair. She hadn't been able to brush it in a couple day and who knows whats been hiding in those knots. She shivered a little at the thought.

"Okay...jump in the shower," Fiona demanded, pulling a lace underwear set from her giant purse and throwing it at Clare. Clare unraveled the lace bra and held it up in front of her. She read the tag and silently questioned how Fiona could have ever known she was a 34 C.

"How did you know my bra size?" Clare asked Fiona who was magically pulling all these cosmetics out of her purse. Fiona ignored her, pulling out an array of eye shadows.

"Do you wear eye liner?" Fiona asked, continuing to look through the contents of her bag.

"No, I don't," Clare says, walking towards her bathroom. Before she was completely inside, she turned towards Fiona again.

"Are you ever going to answer any of my questions?" Clare asked, clutching to the bra.

"Some of them...maybe," Fiona mumbled, looking at the phone that was once again in her hands.

* * *

Clare walked out the shower to find what seemed like an entire department store on her bed. She ran her hand over one of the silk dresses on the bed only to have Fiona smack in right off.

"Why are you wearing those clothes?" Fiona demanded. Clare looked down at the sweatpants and T-shirt Adam had given her.

"These are the only clothes Adam gave me," Clare whispered, feeling slightly embarrassed. Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Well take them off."

"Didn't you just hear me. These are the only clothes I have-"

"And that will remain the same if you don't take of your clothes so I can fully examine your body," Fiona said, frustration dripping into her words. She was growing impatient of Clare's inability to catch on to what Fiona was implying. Clare scratched her head once again, completely confused. This woman just waltz into her room and started to pull things out of her bag. Did she expect Clare to know exactly what to do? Suddenly Clare's eyes widened in a cartoonish manner.

"Wait, you want me to get undressed _**in front**_ of you?"

"I thought I made myself pretty clear," Fiona rolled her eyes. Clare dramatically shook her head, the thought completely exposing herself in front of a stranger brought out her insecure side.

"I'm not going to undress in front of a complete stranger. It is not lady like!" Clare proclaimed defiantly.

"Tranquility Clare, that is something you lack," Fiona confidently stated as if she had known Clare her entire life. "I do not plan on raping you. I simply want to observe your frame so I can put you in proper clothing. Wearing sweat pants and an over sized T-shirt is also very un lady like. I promise I won't touch anything because I have no desire to touch anything. I have a wonderful, caring, and very handsome boyfriend."

Clare decided to trust Fiona and reluctantly started to undress, pulling the sweat pants past her hips and the soft cotton shirt over her head. She played with her wet hair that had already started curling. She undressed until she was only left in the bra and panties Fiona had given her.

"This is as far as I go."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Fiona muttered with an eye roll as she turned towards the bed and pealed a blue and white dress off the bed. She inspected it and spun it in her hands so that the fabric spun out. Fiona smiled then stared at Clare's body, her eyes scanning every curve and imagining what would fit them best.

"Try this on," Fiona smiled, already knowing it would look spectacular. Clare slipped the dress over her head and turned to look at herself in the mirror. The dress was low cut but remained to highlight Clare's modest side. It cinched at her thin waist then flowed all the way down to her knees. It made her look like she was from one of those 60s movie and she loved it. A pair of hands wrapped around her making Clare jump slightly but were soon replaced by a yellow belt. Clare smiled even wider. She had never worn anything that represented her personality so well. She wondered how Fiona managed to capture her so perfectly.

"How do you like it Princess?" Fiona asked. Clare turned to her, a nervous look crossing her face. Fiona smirked sadly.

"Y-you know?" Clare asked. Fiona nodded.

"Don't worry, I have no intention to tell anyone and well, Eli honestly does not believe you enough to tell anyone either."

"How did you know I told Elijah?" Clare asked, clenching her fists out of fear. Fiona smiled.

"I know everything Clare," Fiona says, brushing Clare's hair softly and humming a little tune. Clare decided it was useless to question her and got lost in the feeling of the brush scraping against her head. Once Fiona finished, she placed an artificial yellow flower into Clare's hair.

"Now, slip your feet into these?" Fiona says, bringing out a pair of yellow pumps. Clare slips them on and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks clean and happy. She had not looked that way in a while. Suddenly having an urge to hug Fiona, she wraps her arms around her neck.

"Thank you," she whispers in her neck. Fiona pushes her away softly.

"Don't get mushy on me. Adam was the one who sent me," Fiona smiles. Clare smiles back.

"Are you close to Adam?" Clare asks.

"Very much so. Now, I must depart," Fiona says and Clare suddenly realizes that the clothes had been placed in her closet. She scratched her head wondering who put them there.

"Don't question it," Fiona says, before heading towards the door. Clare felt a rush of anxiety creep into her body. She pulled Fiona back by the elbow.

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Clare asks. Fiona pulls her elbow from Clare's grip before giving her an annoyed look.

"Clare, just because your fear of Eli is keeping you confined to your room doesn't mean that I must be imprisoned as well," Fiona hisses impatiently. Clare's eyes water slightly.

"He hates me," she mumbles.

"No, he hates unfamiliarity. Eli wouldn't hurt a fly. Just let him get used to you," Fiona says.

"He pushed me against a wall today! I'm going to have bruises!"

"I'm aware, but in his defense you did have a knife behind one of his brother's backs."

Clare sighs before plopping on her bed. No one understands. She could see the hate in his eyes. He'll never accept her. Fiona plops down in the bed next to her.

"Clare, Eli doesn't trust people very quickly. You just have to be patient. Okay?"

"Okay," Clare repeats uncertainly. She hears her door crack open and the devil himself walks in, his head facing down. Eli was rubbing the back of his neck with a shaking hand.

"Listen...Clare, I'm sorry for my negative attitude. I just...I don't know," Eli says, gaining the courage to lift his head and look into her eyes. His mouth falls open, letting out a sharp breathe. Eli feels his body warm up from the stomach out as he struggles to keep his eyes on Clare's face. She smiles at him softly, realizing how hard it was for him to apologize. Clare acts on instinct, standing up and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Yeah Eli. I understand. Fiona has been explaining some things to me and I understand," Clare mumbles. Eli was never one for hugs. In fact, he despised them but feeling Clare small hand on his neck flipped a switch in him. He wrapped his arms loosely around her back and inhaled her sweet scent. The heat grew even larger and his manly urges began to take over as he traced slow circles over the fabric on her back. He wondered how her bare skin would feel in his hands. He imagined it would be soft and warm. He wondered if her entire body would taste just as good as she smelled. Eli felt his pants grow a tad bit uncomfortable as Clare pulled away with a smile. Eli could have sworn he saw a seductive glint in her eyes but she turned to Fiona to quickly. Eli cleared his throat, thinking of a naked old lady to control himself. He grew frustrated. Who gave her the right to look like a woman? A pretty one at that.

"Seriously Clare. Heels? There better not be one scratch on the floor. This is why I hate girls. You don't see guys dragging pointy shoes across a floor," Eli hissed. Clare looked at him, confused at his spiteful rant. Hadn't he just apologized?

"I better not see one scratch on my floor," Eli threatened before walking out.

**I hope it didn't suck too much. Review please?**


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